Academic Degrees and General Educational Requirements

General Information | Degrees and Certificates | Catalog Archive | Course Descriptions | Course Schedule | Associate Degrees and Degree Programs | General Education Requirements | Graduation Requirements for Degree Programs | A.A. Degree | A.S. Degree | A.A.S. Degree

Programs of Study
Degrees Offered at OCC
OCC offers three degrees: the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, the Associate of Science (A.S.) degree, and the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. The A.A. and the A.S. degrees prepare students for transfer to arts and sciences baccalaureate programs at four-year colleges and universities. The A.A.S. degree prepares students for immediate employment after graduation, although many students who pursue this degree transfer successfully to four-year colleges and universities.

Programs of Study (or Majors)
Within each of the three degrees are several choices of programs (or majors). Students should choose a program best suited for their educational objectives. Click here to view a chart that identifies the programs or majors available within each degree (or major), along with options (or minors) and concentrations (or specializations). Options (or minors) are defined by specific requirements, while concentrations (or specializations) include a set of suggested, but not required, courses. A substantial portion of the Liberal Arts degree and numerous requirements for General Studies and other degrees can be completed through the use of on-line and homestudy courses.

Certificates
Students can also obtain a Certificate of Proficiency or a Certificate of Completion. Certificate programs are designed to equip students with skills for immediate employment in a wide range of job possibilities. Certificates of Proficiency require 30 or more credits, while Certificates of Completion require a fewer number of credits. In general, credits earned through a certificate program may later be applied to an associate degree in a related field or in general education.

Additional Programs
OCC also offers the following programs: International Travel; Center for Business Education Training; Continuing and Professional Education; The Academy for Lifelong Learning and The Office of School Relations.

Associate Degrees and Degree Programs
Ocean County College offers the Associate in Arts (A.A.), the Associate in Science (A.S.), and the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) degrees. All degree programs contain a core General Education foundation consistent with the requirements of most New Jersey two- and four-year colleges. This general education core emphasizes the acquisition and comprehension of knowledge, the evaluation of ideas, the ability to think constructively and creatively, and the capacity to communicate effectively. For college students who begin their studies at a community college, A.A. and A.S. programs should transfer in full, with the student bearing some responsibility to make elective choices at the community college that are consistent with the intended major and the requirements of the four-year college or university. The A.A.S. degree prepares students for immediate employment after graduation, although many students who pursue this degree also transfer successfully. Smooth transition into a four-year institution requires early planning.

General Education Requirements
General education courses are grouped into several major categories:

Communications

Defined as courses designed to enhance facility in the use of the English language

Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Defined as courses designed to enhance mathematics and scientific conceptual understanding and applications, including computer science

Social Sciences

Defined as courses designed to promote self awareness, including understanding social, economic, historical, and political problems and the responsibilities of citizenship in an interdependent world

Humanities

Defined as courses in literary, philosophical, foreign language, aesthetic, or other humanistic studies to promote the understanding and transmission of values to one’s own and other cultures.

The minimum general education requirements for each associate degree are as follows:

Associate in Arts (A.A.) degrees require a minimum number of credits in an array of representative courses in each of the following categories: communication, mathematics/science/technology, social sciences, and humanities.

Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees require a minimum number of credits in an array of representative courses in each of the following categories:

Communication
Mathematics/Science/Technology
Social Sciences
Humanities

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees require a minimum number of credits in an array of representative courses from the communication category and at least one course from mathematics/science/technology, social sciences, and humanities.

Graduation Requirements for Degree Programs
A degree signifying graduation from Ocean County College will be awarded to all students completing an approved planned program, provided the following minimum conditions have been filled:

1. Minimum Requirements
   1. A student must have earned at least 64 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.00.
   2. If a student has taken developmental classes, these courses do not count toward meeting graduation requirements for any degree. Sufficient additional credits must be completed to meet the 64 credit minimum for a degree. These semester hours must include the following:

      Health and Physical Education

      1. 2 s.h. HEHP 110 Applied Modern Health or 3 s.h. HEHP 225 Contemporary Health may be used to satisfy the requirement.
      2. Veterans, active duty personnel and those who have completed basic training may apply to receive credit for HEHP 110 from the Veterans Affairs office. A copy of DD Form 214 and a request for HEHP credit must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
         

2. Distribution of Semester Hours of Credit for Degrees

A.A. Degree

General Studies Program
6 s.h. Communications
6 s.h. Humanities
6 s.h. Social Science
4 s.h. Laboratory Science
3 s.h. Mathematics
2-3 s.h. Health and Human Performance
18 s.h. Concentration selected from one college department (non-technical courses only)
18-19 s.h. Electives (to total 64 or more s.h.)

Liberal Arts Program
9 s.h. Communications
6 s.h. Western Civilization I & II or
U.S. History I and II*
9 s.h. Humanities
3 s.h. Diversity
3 s.h. Computer Literacy
6 s.h. Social Science
8 s.h. Laboratory Science
6 s.h. Mathematics
2-3 s.h. Health requirement
11-18 s.h. Electives (to total 64 or more s.h.)
(maximum of 6 s.h. of business)
* Choice should be guided by transfer requirements

A.S. Degree

General Studies Program
6 s.h. Communications
6 s.h. Humanities
6 s.h. Social Science
4 s.h. Laboratory Science
3 s.h. Mathematics
2-3 s.h. Health and Human Performance
18 s.h. Concentration selected from one college department
18-19 s.h. Electives (to total 64 or more s.h.)

A.S. Degree - All Others
6 s.h. Communications
6 s.h. Humanities
6 s.h. Social Science
4 s.h. Laboratory Science
3 s.h. Mathematics
2-3 s.h. Health and Human Performance
18 s.h. Concentration selected from one college department
18-19 s.h. Electives (to total 64 or more s.h.)

A.A.S. Degree

6 s.h. Communications
3 s.h. Humanities
3 s.h. Social Science
4 s.h. Laboratory Science
3 s.h. Mathematics
2-3 s.h. Health requirement
Additional required courses for a minimum of 64 s.h.

3. Other Requirements
   1. Required courses in all programs of study are as stipulated in the catalog at the time the student
      matriculates in a degree program as long as the student is continuously enrolled.
   2. A student must have earned at least 32 semester hours of credit at Ocean County College.
   3. Students who complete their degree requirements at the end of the fall semester may, upon filing an application for graduation scheduled the following May, receive an interim Certificate of Completion.
   4. Students are required to follow the curriculum as outlined in the catalog at the time of matriculation (degree status). If the student skips a year (a consecutive fall and spring semester), the catalog at the time of reactivation is in effect. The option does exist to update to a more current catalog. If a student changes his/her curriculum, the current catalog at that time is in effect.
   5. Students must file a graduation application at the Cashier’s office. Applications are available in the Admissions and Records office. The application deadlines are March for spring graduation and June for summer graduation.

Notes

1. ENGL 020 or ENGL 021 cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
2. Students placed in ENGL 020 or ENGL 021 as a result of the College Placement Test scores will be required to complete these courses in addition to the above-stated requirements.
3. It is strongly recommended that writing courses be taken in sequence. ENGL 151 should be taken immediately after completion of ENGL 021.
4. Humanities electives in Literature are: Any 200 level ENGL course. All other programs specifying only humanities elective will be free to select from the full range of English (and other humanities) courses except those taken to fulfill the required freshman English/Communications sequence. In no case can ENGL 151 or ENGL 152 be used as a humanities elective. ENGL 155 may be used as a humanities elective if it has not been taken as a requirement. This, however, is not encouraged for transfer students.

Courses Satisfying General Education Requirements

Ocean County College General Education Goals Addressed By General Education Requirements

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